Tuesday, May 01, 2012

Editor's note: That does say "circumstances" not "circumcisions"...an import clarification as this story would be very different given that change...

Tale one: VE - 2, Bicyclists - 0

Ok, here's the fact: I have now passed two mountain bikes while running

I know...you're thinking there's a catch. "They're not moving", "They have a flat", "They're 90+ years old"

They're all good speculations and you can be proud for being clever enough to think of them but the fact remains that you would be wrong.

Both of them were riding as hard as they could. Both of them were fit and doing training rides. Both of them had fast, workable bikes.

The reality is that I'm just a fast runner. Ok, not quite. I do this trail run up in the forest and about 80% of the loop I do is on a single track trail that doesn't allow bikes on it. The other 20% is on fire roads that does.

The particular fire road that I've actually been able to pass a bike on are steep. The spot I always catch and leave them in the dust is about 18-20% grade. That's steep. That's steep enough that a bike really doesn't have an advantage over a runner.

Now granted, I have to be in good enough shape to actually run up this damn road...and fortunately I am. You should see the looks on their faces as I go by. I wonder if they actually admit to friends and family they got passed by a runner?

Tale two: Skateboarder - 1, VE - 0

Ok, here's the fact: I got passed going full speed on my bicycle by a skateboarder

I know...you're thinking there's a catch. "The skateboard had an engine", "I had a very slow bike", "I don't know how to ride".

They're all good speculations and you can be proud for again being clever enough to think of them but the fact remains that you would be wrong...again.

I either run or bicycle every day. Every. Single. Day. So naturally, I'm in as good of shape bicycling as I am running. Ok, I'm not going to win the Tour De France or compete in the Olympics but generally there aren't a lot of people passing me up when I'm out there.

So, yesterday I was finishing up a 20 mile bike ride and had a pleasant 2 mile descent to look forward to. I never coast down. I always jump to the highest gear and peddle down at the fastest speed I feel like going that particular day. This particular hill can yield about 36-42 on a bike depending on the day and mood.

But yesterday was unusual. As I started down the hill I had to pass a really slow car blocking my way. The car was following two longboard skaters going down the hill. They were about a quarter of the way down when I came upon them and proceeded to pass.

The guy in the lead took a little while to pass but then I was headed down at 38mph in a full pedal. It's a long straight away that then proceeds into two fairly sharp S curves that I have to break to negotiate.

As I'm pedaling down the hill, in my rear view mirror on my handlebar I see something coming up on me.

Could another bike be catching up behind me? Did one of the skateboard have an engine?

Low and behold, the lead skater actually came up from behind and passed me as I was going to speed in my highest gear and quickly approaching the sharp turns while we were going almost 40mph. The skater made the turns and kept right on going. I didn't catch up with him until the bottom when gravity from the straights finally slowed him down. I pulled up and told him that was really impressive and that he was going 40mph. He just smiled.

I didn't even know a skateboard could go faster than a bike but I guess if you have no fear....they do.

6 comments:

Uh, I remember when skateboards first came out. You know the basic ones that just had the wheels from skates screwed on to a board. Then we proceeded to watch most of the boys break an arm or a leg while trying to stop. Many a tumble taken while riding a skateboard, but never down a freaking mountain. That guy was either very brave or very stupid.

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